Dr. Conor Cashman:

I thank Deputy Ó Cuív. Gabh mo leithscéal, níl a lán Gaeilge agam. I will make some brief points and Ms Uí Mhaoldomhnaigh and Ms Uí Mhaoláin also wish to speak. We asked people about planning and it is a key issue that people identified as a barrier to potentially remaining on the islands. Looking at the draft figures from the report, a key reason for planning refusal was a site being in a special area of conservation or a national area of protection. One point that must be made on some of the recommendations in the report is that we need to understand the specific reasons in various island regions. Some islands may have this as a big issue and others may not. It is a key point. We recommend there is input and acknowledgement in the national planning guidelines to be able to respond to people's needs with regard to planning permission.

Affordability is a key point and Deputy Ó Cuív is exactly right on how that should be formed. If we look at some of the figures we have managed to get, people say they can afford houses up to approximately €200,000. This does not meet the market level on some of the islands. There needs to be acknowledgement and flexibility. The Cathaoirleach mentioned flexibility in other schemes. Flexibility in approved housing bodies that might be established on the island should acknowledge this, subject to potential regulations and other regulatory authorities of which the approved housing bodies must be aware.

Croí Cónaithe is another point with which Ms Uí Mhaoldomhnaigh might have a couple of problems in terms of using and accessing those services as well. I thank Deputy Ó Cuív for those comments.